5 Ways to Improve Workplace Morale

When morale is down and productivity is suffering, it is up to you, as an employer, to rally the troops much like a head coach giving an impassioned speech.

“The best morale exist when you never hear the word mentioned. When you hear a lot of talk about it, it’s usually lousy.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

A business is only as good as its people, but even good people become less productive when overall office morale is down. As 11-time NBA championship-winning coach Phil Jackson once said, “The strength of the team is each member. The strength of each member is the team.” When morale is down and productivity is suffering, it is up to you, as an employer, to rally the troops much like a head coach giving an impassioned speech to a losing team at halftime. You need to find ways to get the most out of your players – your employees.

5 Ways to Boost Employee Morale

Improving morale can be easier than you thought.

Top-Down Leadership

As an employer or manager, it falls on you to keep morale and productivity high. One way to do this is via daily huddles – mini-meetings. Each day, or maybe at the beginning of each week, bring your team together for a quick pep talk. It helps put your employees in the right mindset for the rest of the day or work week.

“A successful team is a group of many hands and one mind.” – Bill Bethel

Establish a Fun Corporate Culture

Your employees should not dread coming to work every day, so it’s important to make them feel as if their job is more than just a job. While work is certainly not all fun and games, the workplace should not be dull and gloomy either. So give your employees something to look forward to. Buy them lunch on occasion. Maybe set up a game room and allow your employees to take 15-minute breaks here and there. Just find ways to make the office a more enjoyable place to work.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” -Henry Ford

Break the Routine

Doing the same thing day after day, week after week, year after year can become tedious and boring. The result: diminished morale. Instead, try to shake things up a bit and break from routine. Instead of a strict 9-5 schedule, perhaps allow your employees more flexibility. Maybe you can give them every other Friday off during the summer. Whatever you do, just change it up!

Give Your Employees a Voice

Who knows more about how your employees feel than your employees? So instead of grasping at straws, trying to find a solution you think we will work, ask your employees for suggestions on how to improve the day-to-day operations of the office. Meet with people individually or in small groups and allow them to share all the problems and challenges they’re facing. This simple gesture alone can help improve morale, showing your employees that you value their thoughts and opinions.

“None of us is as smart as all of us.” – Ken Blanchard

Get out of the Office to Say Thank You!

On occasion, reward your employees with a day away from the office. A day of fun-filled team building activities can not only help boost morale, but also teach several valuable lessons that can further help improve communication, productivity, and overall teamwork.

“Good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture, creating the building blocks for success.” – Ted Sundquist

Conveniently located in Howard County, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington DC, Terrapin Adventures is able to create a customized program (onsite or offsite, indoor or outdoor) that knock down group barriers, allowing your staff to work efficiently and cohesively as a productive unit. Our custom programs provide for exciting activities that bridge the gaps in communication, improve cooperation, and expand your group’s problem solving skills.